Intense Tango dances to Musselburgh win

A review of Friday's action at Musselburgh as talented dual-purpose mare Intense Tango won for Karl Burke.

Talented dual-purpose mare Intense Tango displayed admirable resolution to get back on the winning trail in the Archerfield Cup at Musselburgh.

Karl Burke's five-year-old lined up in the £25,000 feature as a 15-2 chance under apprentice Clifford Lee, searching for her first victory since claiming a Grade Two triumph over hurdles at Doncaster in January of last year.

The 7lb claimer kept things fairly simple, positioning his mount on the tail of the pacesetting Zand before committing for home from the final bend.

The chasing pack did their best to bridge the gap, with joint-favourite Gabrial The Hero emerging as a big threat in the final furlong, but Intense Tango would not be denied and clung on by a head.

Burke said: "I'm delighted with that and I thought Clifford gave her a very good ride. It's a good job he won by a head instead of getting beat a head, though, as he was putting up 2lb overweight!

"She's a good mare who has always had plenty of ability, she's just had one or two little issues that have been holding her back, but hopefully we've ironed those out now.

"She came on from her last run when she was second at Newcastle and it's great to get her winning again. It was a nice prize, too.

"We haven't made any big plans, we'll just stick to handicaps and see how far she can go.

"I would imagine the owner will be keen to go back over hurdles at some stage."

Kodi Da Capo (10-1) claimed her second successive win at the track in the British Stallion Studs EBF Stallions Conditions Stakes.

After a number of placed efforts earlier in the year, the Keith Dalgleish-trained juvenile opened her account at the fifth attempt at Hamilton in June.

She disappointed at Carlisle the following month, but bounced back to win a handicap at this venue a week ago and followed up in this higher grade, getting up to deny Wick Powell by a nose.

"She ran some good races earlier in the year and I think physically she's improving all the time," said Dalgleish.

"She strengthened up a bit and she obviously likes the track.

"I'm not sure where we'll go next. We'll see how she comes out of it and go from there."

Almuhalab (9-2) has proved bitterly disappointing in his career so far, but finally came good at the 20th attempt in the Gang Of Four Handicap.

A son of Dansili out of 1000 Guineas winner Ghanaati, the five-year-old was snapped up for just 10,000 guineas by Ruth Carr after failing to live up to his regal breeding early on.

He is clearly no star, but has run some decent races in defeat this year and was good value for his one-and-a-quarter-length verdict.

Carr said: "He's bred in the purple, but he's had a few problems and we've had to be patient with him.

"He's done it well and hopefully that will give him the confidence now to go on to bigger and better things."

Ray Donovan was a 7-1 winner of the Quilter Cheviot Nursery for David O'Meara and Danny Tudhope.

The jockey went on to complete a double aboard Iain Jardine's Lucky Violet (7-1) in the EBF Scottish Premier Series Fillies' Handicap, before the Tim Easterby-trained High On Light (6-5) delivered for favourite-backers in the Fisher Group Handicap.

And it was a double for Jardine as Stoneham (3-1) completed a hat-trick in the Edgen Murray Amateur Riders' Handicap that brought proceedings to a close.

The win will live long in the memory of rider Bruce Lynn, as it was a first career success for the 16-year-old.